UNTITLED | Rectangular rug

Patterned rectangular cotton rug

HENZEL STUDIO HERITAGE: TOM OF FINLAND, marks the debut of an ongoing collection of art rugs and pillows created in close collaboration with foundations of some of the most prominent and influential artists of the 20th century.

The artworks by Tom of Finland (Touko Laaksonen, 1920-1991) are part of the collections of major institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York; he’s been referred to as one of the “five most influential artists of thetwentieth century.”

HENZEL STUDIO HERITAGE: TOM OF FINLAND includes one freeform hand knotted rug and twelve hand tufted rugs, all made of the finest silk and New Zealand Wool. Three art pillows complement the collection. A hand knotted rug, entirely woven by hand over the course of five months, depicts one of Tom of Finland’s most iconic works of a “leather man” wearing a cap. The drawing was made as a study for the visual identity of the gay leather bar TOM’S SALOON, the only place Tom lent his name to. Made with comparable intricacy as the original drawing, it is free form and in select areas enhanced with silk to add shine and replicate the effect of polished leather.

The artworks woven into the hand tufted rug designs consist of a series of preparatory drawings, many unseen or ever reproduced. They feature portraits, scenes depicting camaraderie, homoerotic gaze, flirtation and sexual acts. One drawing outlines a man engaged in a boot fetish scene, another a nipple flirtation, whereas a third a f**k scene, bringing new meaning to love making on a rug.